Of course, one relevant point to this whole debate that could apply to any weather-station whose location had not drastically changed for a few years is that it also broke its own record, which even if warmer than other local stations, is still a significant observation.

You can right click and 'measure distance' on Google from a PC. I measure it at pretty much dead on 1.5m at the shortest distance

They could of course move the screen into the centre of that patch, it does look a little odd like that, even if the 1.5m distance has been maintained. I guess with this being a botanic gardens and all, cultivated & uncultivated areas are going to be constantly changing.

That's one thing that bugs me with all this. The met office have an army of would be data collectors, probably for free, if they just took the time etc to implement it. I for one would gladly provide data with the right equipment, at no cost, because it's my love of the information and extremes that fuels it all.

By the time you realise your parents were right, your kids already think that you're wrong!

They could of course move the screen into the centre of that patch, it does look a little odd like that, even if the 1.5m distance has been maintained. I guess with this being a botanic gardens and all, cultivated & uncultivated areas are going to be constantly changing.

It's not usual to have the screen 1.5m from one edge of the defined area, because it needs it to be sufficiently far away from other instruments e.g. the rain gauge.

This is the 5km grid Average Maximum Temperature for the UK on 10th August 2003 showing just SE England with Brogdale highlighted

(click in the image for a bigger version)

It can be seen that the Brogdale area is somewhat split off from the main area of higher temperature and a number of nearby cells are 2 -3 degrees C lower

As was mentioned earlier, this could be the effect of local topography and not an erroneous reading

This is Met Office data but they do not explain how these 5km cells are populated. They obviously include local stations in the area but here must also be quite a bit of averaging, projection and interpolation to get full coverage of the 10,000 or so cells which make up the UK

That's one thing that bugs me with all this. The met office have an army of would be data collectors, probably for free, if they just took the time etc to implement it. I for one would gladly provide data with the right equipment, at no cost, because it's my love of the information and extremes that fuels it all.

It can be seen that the Brogdale area is somewhat split off from the main area of higher temperature and a number of nearby cells are 2 -3 degrees C lower

As was mentioned earlier, this could be the effect of local topography and not an erroneous reading

This is Met Office data but they do not explain how these 5km cells are populated. They obviously include local stations in the area but here must also be quite a bit of averaging, projection and interpolation to get full coverage of the 10,000 or so cells which make up the UK

The cells to the immediate north are Sheppey, so yes - they would be a fair bit lower due to the cooling effect of the marshes and the Swale.

As I keep saying, it's the local topography that results in Faversham (and Sittingbourne, to the west, for that matter) being a hotspot IF the conditions are right. Take it from a local!

Just back from France. We missed the exceptional UK heatwave but experienced 41c (106f) near Angers on the car thermo.

Catching up on my stats imagine my shock at seeing 39.2c as my max on the 25th July.

My first reaction is an erroneous reading.

However...Langdon Bay reached 35.9c that day at 130m asl jutting out into the Dover Strait. I normally record 3 degress warmer than that location.

A couple of questions.

How did IDJ and Whether Idle compare that day ? If my reading is accurate then I expect to see a T2M of 38+ from my local buddies who are located at sea level close to the shoreline.

I'm trying to piece things together but mysteriously Wundermap had a number of local weather stations out of action that day.

Thanks

Hi Steve,

Can't be sure, but I think Ian's Vue went up by like 3C in an Hour from 35C to 38C sometime after 3pm. He was quite uneasy about it like you are with yours. Mine up here got to 37.6C but although in open space and over grass is in full sun (cant odds it).

By the time you realise your parents were right, your kids already think that you're wrong!

Can't be sure, but I think Ian's Vue went up by like 3C in an Hour from 35C to 38C sometime after 3pm.

Thanks Snowhoper. That's really useful to understand.

Hopefully Whether Idle and Ian can verify soon.

It sounds as there was some sort of event that turned a very hot day to an historic day down here on the corner. The max occured at 17:01hrs. Unfortunately due to the lack of Met Office official stations around here means we'll never know.

It sounds as there was some sort of event that turned a very hot day to an historic day down here on the corner. The max occured at 17:01hrs. Unfortunately due to the lack of Met Office official stations around here means we'll never know.

Temps rose quickly from early in the day then quite a few places experienced cloud cover for an hour or so around 3 o clock (edit: just looked through thread and cloud started around 1 o clock) that afternoon and a bit of rain, which cooled it down slightly. It looked like we might not get to the record but once it cleared temps started to rise even further, so most places peaked at teatime.

To get an idea of what it was like, it really would be worth reading this thread! I know it’s a long one but reading it will help you understand and I think Ian and WI might have posted their temps. Go for it Steve!

I think there was a period of 1-2 hours on the afternoon of Thu 25th when the flow not only aligned perfectly with the hottest part of N. France, during the peak of the day's heat - or close to it, but was also orientated such that it crossed close to the shortest possible stretch of water on the way over to SE England.

So it's possible that a wedge of over 40*C heat was shifted rapidly across to the far SE of England, only having time to cool into the very high 30s by the time it reached Folkestone.

I think there was a period of 1-2 hours on the afternoon of Thu 25th when the flow not only aligned perfectly with the hottest part of N. France, during the peak of the day's heat - or close to it, but was also orientated such that it crossed close to the shortest possible stretch of water on the way over to SE England.

So it's possible that a wedge of over 40*C heat was shifted rapidly across to the far SE of England, only having time to cool into the very high 30s by the time it reached Folkestone.

40C is the next target in this country and I doubt it will be long before it's hit.

40C is the next target in this country and I doubt it will be long before it's hit.

It really wouldn’t surprise me if some places did actually reach 40c, just not the places with official stations. My sensor recorded over 39c IMBY but the nearest Met office station only got to 38.4c but I live in a small valley which would be a heat trap, so I don’t think my reading was far wrong. I’m pretty sure there were other places that were genuinely hotter, but not officially.

Market Warsop, North Nottinghamshire.

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